
NorE.—"God had pleaded with Judah not to provoke Him to anger, but
they had hearkened not. Finally sentence was pronounced against them. They
were to be led away captive to Babylon. The Chaldeans were to be used as the
instrument by which God would chastise His disobedient people. The sufferings
of the men of Judah were to be in proportion to the light they bad had, and
to the warnings they had despised and rejected. Long had God delayed His
judgments; but now He would visit His displeasure upon them, as a last effort
to check them in their evil
course."—Prophets and Kings,
page 425.
5.
What terrible guilt is incurred by the misrepresentation of
God by His people? 2 Sam. 12:14; Rom. 2:23, 24.
6.
In what other way may professing believers profane the name
of God? Luke 6:46; Matt. 15:7, 8.
NorE.—"Open apostasy would not be more offensive to God than hypocrisy
and mere formal
worship."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 523.
7.
How will God regard hypocrites? Matt. 7:21-23.
NorE.—"Ten thousand times ten thousand may profess to obey the law
and the gospel, and yet be living in transgression. Men may present in a clear
manner the claims of truth upon others, and yet their own hearts be carnal.
Sin may be loved and practiced in secret. The truth of God may be no truth to
them, because their hearts have not been sanctified by it. The love of the
Saviour may exercise no constraining power over their base passions. We know
by the history of the past that men may stand in sacred positions, and yet
handle the truth of God
deceitfully."—Testimonies, vol.
5, p. 536.
Invoking God's Name
8.
In what legitimate way may the name of God be invoked?
Deut. 6:13; Dan. 12:7; Rev. 10:5, 6.
NOTE.
-"Our
Saviour did not . . . forbid the use of the judicial oath, in
which God is solemnly called to witness that what is said is truth, and nothing
but the truth. Jesus Himself, at His trial before the Sanhedrin, did not refuse
to testify under oath. The high priest said unto Him, 'I adjure Thee by the
living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.'
Jesus answered, 'Thou hast said.' Matt. 26:63, 64. Had Christ, in the Sermon
on the Mount, condemned the judicial oath, He would at His trial have re-
proved the high priest, and thus, for the benefit of His followers, have en-
forced His own teaching."—Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing,
page 104.
"If there is anyone who can consistently testify under oath, it is the Chris-
tian. . . . When required to do so in a lawful manner, it is right for him to
appeal to God as a witness that what he says is the truth, and nothing but the
truth."—Ibid., pages 104, 105.
9.
What proper reticence, however, should we exercise even
in this solemn act? Matt. 5:34-37.
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